How to Clean Blood Stains From Leather

By Josh Baum

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Blood is one of the toughest stains to remove, and leather is one of the trickiest materials to clean. There aren't too many cleaning solutions that are tough enough to completely clean up blood stains yet gentle enough to avoid ruining leather. If you don't want to pay for a professional dry cleaner to try and get the stains out, though, this procedure is usually your best bet.

Things You'll Need

Hydrogen peroxide

Paper towels

Water

Step 1

Soak a paper towel in clean, cold water, wring it out and set it aside. Keep several dry paper towels nearby.

Step 2

Look over the leather garment or item and try to find a hidden or inconspicuous spot to test for bleaching. Leather jackets and vests often have good areas for testing on the inside, and furniture and luggage may have hidden spots on the bottom.

Step 3

Soak the corner of a dry paper towel in hydrogen peroxide. Dab the solution on a very small, inconspicuous area. Wait for bubbles to form on the wet spot.

Step 4

When the spot starts to bubble, pat the area dry with a clean, dry paper towel. Immediately wipe the area with the damp paper towel. Wipe it dry with another clean, dry paper towel. Wait five minutes.

Step 5

If, after five minutes, the area has not become discolored, dull or brittle, you may consider hydrogen peroxide to be a safe solution for removing the stain. If the area doesn't respond well, consider taking the item to a professional dry cleaner or leather care specialist.

Step 6

Clean the stain in the same way you tested the hidden spot. Soak the corner of a paper towel in hydrogen peroxide and dab the entire stained area. Wait until it begins to bubble.

Step 7

When bubbling occurs, wipe up the liquid with a dry paper towel. Wipe the area with the damp paper towel, then wipe it dry with a dry paper towel. The blood stain should disappear.

Tip

If the leather seems to respond well to the hydrogen peroxide, this process can be repeated if the first treatment doesn't completely remove the stain.

Warning

Observe all warnings on the label of your hydrogen peroxide container.